|
| If you are interested in trying Bluestone, lots of plants are up to half off right now. |
Follow-Up Postings:
|
- Posted by ken_adrian z5 (My Page) on Wed, Apr 17, 13 at 15:20
| this is SIMPLY an observation.. not a criticism ... but over the years.. i cant believe how much free publicity this place gets.. with this sale.. does anyone ever pay full price??? .. it seems the sale starts earlier.. and earlier.. every year ... i mean really.. its barely planting time in 60% of the US .... ken |
|
- Posted by RyseRyse_2004 5 (My Page) on Wed, Apr 17, 13 at 15:31
| Well, you just might be right. I don't think I have ever paid full price on this website ---- so, it is a great marketing tool, I think. J.C. Penney just about went out of business when they decided to change their marketing model to 'no sales ever, but low prices'. People didn't believe it and went elsewhere for the sales. |
|
| One reason they get so much free publicity is that they are an excellent company with excellent product and some of the best customer service I have ever seen. And I think many people here agree with me. I have bought many things at full price from them. I'd say the majority of my garden (or at least what perennials were not winter-sown) is from them. That being said, I am saddened by the recent changes they have made. I realize they may be just trying to stay afloat, but the higher prices for what seems to be the same size small plants is just hard for me to accept. The prices have been getting higher year by year, but it was easier to swallow when you were getting the 3-packs. Now the prices are the same as my local nursery, but the plants are much smaller than the local nursery, but not really much bigger than what the 3-packs once held (although Bluestone keeps saying they are larger, but I'm not really seeing it), so it is harder for me to support them now. THAT being said, I did just buy a cartload of stuff at the sale, lol! I know I will be completely satisfied with my purchase - although, this sale didn't seem like much of a sale. Seems to me they used to have almost everything on sale, no? This time around it seemed like a limited inventory on sale... Dee |
|
- Posted by wildflower3 5/6 (My Page) on Wed, Apr 17, 13 at 16:32
| The bigger sale starts usually around Memorial Day. This is not the "big sale" that they usually have. It seems everything is 10% off right now with a very limited selection up to half off. |
|
| Hi, I have bought all kinds of plants from Bluestone and have never been dissatisfied!! I have bought on sale and payed full price on many things from them. If they have a plant that I want, I get it. Go ahead and try them, Judy |
|
| Ah, yes, wildflower, thank you. It's the bigger end-of-season sale I am thinking of. I'm sure I'll pick up a plant or two then too! Dee |
|
| I have purchased from Bluestone and they do pretty well, but I do think the plants are too small. And those darn bio pots are the most annoying thing on the planet! You can't plant them and the plants won't easily come out of them b/c they have dug their roots into the sides, so you have to cut each one off and pulllllll the plant off of the pot. Takes 10 times longer than just sliding it out of a plastic pot. That's fine if you just order a few plants, but eats up your time when you have dozens to plant. So annoying. |
|
- Posted by RyseRyse_2004 5 (My Page) on Thu, Apr 18, 13 at 9:07
| The whole idea with those pots is that you are supposed to plant them!!!!! The roots have to be very strong to get through the sides so will really take off once they are in the ground. Are you being funny? If so, sorry I didn't get it. The idea is great but unfortunately it adds to the cost of the plant. Their failure rate is much less because of these pots. |
|
| No, not funny at all. I have read several other gardeners that have had trouble with their plants after planting the bluestone pots, had to dig them up, remove the pot, then their plants were fine. Anything between the roots and the dirt is asking for trouble. The concept is great, but it doesn't always work that way. I don't take a chance with them, they get tossed. |
|
- Posted by mad_gallica Z5 Eastern NY (My Page) on Thu, Apr 18, 13 at 13:45
| Years ago, there was a perennial company who grew in peat pots. Those were touted as being 'plantable', but also had major problems. I picked up a bunch in September, at clearance prices. Forewarned, I soaked them in water, then sliced the pot into quarters with a sharp knife. When I dug them up a few years later, parts of the pot were still noticeable, but the roots had plenty of room to escape through the slits. They were so potbound, that taking the pot off would have destroyed a good share of the rootball. |
|
| I miss the days when Bluestone would do the 3 mini plastic pots as 1 plant. You couldn't beat that with the sales prices because although they were treating it as one plant, all 3 would always get to full size for me by the end of the season. I can't justify the cost now...especially their full price! I personally have switched to Santa Rosa and have been extremely happy. |
|
- Posted by wildflower3 5/6 (My Page) on Fri, Apr 19, 13 at 20:02
| I agree the prices have exploded. Having said that, I have ordered from them since the change to new pots. I think they are wonderful. Some did have roots growing through them when they arrived but this seemed to have helped them throught the hot summer and this much colder winter weather. This will be the year to see if they really get going. And, diggerdee, I won't be able to pass up their big sale! ;) |
|
| Hello I've ordered from Bluestone before the price change and after the price change. I mostly shop their sale items now, which turn out to be a good buy for plants I can't find locally.. Their plants have always done well for me. Last summer I left some plants in the coco pots and pulled some out, The ones I left in, I x-slit the pots at the bottom. I didn't see that much of a difference in performance either way. They all did well. I'm into wintersowing and propagating now, so my plant buying has slowed considerably! |
|
| Well for people like me who HATE shopping the garden centers, I love being able to order from home - during the dead of winter - while watching a movie and sipping some tea. Plus I don't impulse buy. I can research the possibilities before I place the order. I just don't understand all this complaining about the prices. After taking advantage of the early discount for ordering, all the coupons Bluestone sent me, my average cost per plant Kevin |
|
| Kevin, I think maybe it's not the cost per plant per se, but a few other things. One, we used to get three plants for that same price! Okay, maybe we were spoiled, but that's the way it was and we got used to it. Secondly, the price for the-now-one-plant is for one plant of the same size as one of the three plants. (wow, that was an awkward sentence! Let me try to rephrase!). Not only are we paying, say, $12 for one plant instead of 3, but that one plant is really no larger than it was before, when it was one of a trio. Bluestone advertises that the single plant is larger, but I really see no difference. The POT is bigger, yes, but the plant? Honestly to me it just seems like a plant from the three-pack transplanted to a bigger pot. Add in shipping, etc., and the price is way more per plant than it used to be. I too hate shopping in general, and don't even really like nursery shopping. While I have some reputable nurseries near me, they cater to Fairfield County clients with mega-bucks to spend on their landscapes, clients who don't even usually do their own shopping (their landscape designers go to the nurseries to shop) and I find the plants to be expensive, not always in the best shape, and the nurseries have nowhere near the guarantee and customer service that Bluestone offers. So I would much rather continue to shop at a great place like Bluestone. But if I have to pay $9 for a coneflower, I'd rather zip over to the nursery three miles away and buy a decent-sized plant in a good-sized pot, than order it on-line, pay for shipping, and have it arrive as a three-inch plant in a four-inch pot. Yes, with coupons and sales you can get better deals, and that is what I now do, but I used to order plants at the drop of a hat with Bluestone throughout the season. Now I check out the local nurseries and limit my Bluestone purchases to sale time. Some here may think that is better, as it supports local nurseries. To be honest, I'd rather support Bluestone, after all the years of great service and great plants (both better than the local places, IMO) and I hope the company continues to do well. I just can't justify spending the money for the new return there, and will limit my spending to sales. Sorry to ramble! |
|
| Have to add one thing. I got my Bluestone order this afternoon, and while the plants were small, as expected, they look very good. AND... an astilbe I ordered was huge by Bluestone standards! I think this is one of the biggest plants I've ever gotten from them. If they are going to start sending plants this size, it would, IMO, be worth it to continue to order. But I am hedging my enthusiasm - the other half dozen plants were the usual Bluestone size. I'll just have to order something from the next sale to see about sizing! Dee |
Please Note: Only registered members are able to post messages to this forum. If you are a member, please log in. If you aren't yet a member, join now!
Return to the Perennials Forum
Information about Posting
- You must be logged in to post a message. Once you are logged in, a posting window will appear at the bottom of the messages. If you are not a member, please register for an account.
- Posting is a two-step process. Once you have composed your message, you will be taken to the preview page. You will then have a chance to review your post, make changes and upload photos.
- After posting your message, you may need to refresh the forum page in order to see it.
- Before posting copyrighted material, please read about Copyright and Fair Use.
- We have a strict no-advertising policy!
- If you would like to practice posting or uploading photos, please visit our Test forum.
- If you need assistance, please Contact Us and we will be happy to help.
Learn more about in-text links on this page here
